Tag: Japan

The State Department has approved a request from Japan for an initial buy of Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA missiles, for an estimated cost of $133.3 million. The sale that includes only four missiles will likely provide missiles for test and evaluation of Japan's current missile defense assets, likely the AEGIS equipped missile destroyers that currently carry SM-3 Block IB missiles.

The planned arrival of amphibious support ship USS Wasp (LHD-1) in the Pacific Ocean introduces a new capability for amphibious support ships carrying the F-35B fifth-generation stealth fighters without relying on large aircraft carriers. Apart from the American LHD, both Japan and South Korea are interested in the new potential mating STOVL fighters with flat-deck helicopter carriers. Both countries already acquired the conventional take-off variant (F-35A), and consider operating the Short Take-Off / Vertical Landing (STOVL) B version from ships.

Racing to the Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), Pyongyang's long-range missile activity means bad news for Japan and South Korea, since the medium and intermediate range missiles developed by the rough nation could target even well-defended targets in the Western Pacific, including Japan, South Korea and US bases in the region. This review outlines some of the measures taken by countries in the region, to bolster their missile defense capabilities.

The US Marine Corps is planning to deploy the first F-35B unit to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan within a year. The US Air Force is planning to deploy its first units to RAF Lakenheath In the UK by 2020.

The Japan Ministry of Defense has selected the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye and RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft, both produced by Northrop Grumman. According to the Japanese multi-year defense plan, the four E-2D will replace the E-2Cs currently operational, providing aerial surveillance for the Japanese military.

In this edition: New agreement signed between Israel and Japan regarding cyber | North Korea sanctioned by US for cyber attacks | More than 13,000 user passwords of Amazon, Walmart, and Brazzers were hacked | German government website under cyber-attacks by pro-Russian group | Islamic State hackers might be behind series of attacks on news organizations | Japan increases national cyber security by establishing new cyber center | New Kenyan security law to allow electronic evidence | UK suffering from several cyber-attacks against power grid | France targeted by hacktivists under OpFrance cyber-attack campaign

The U.S. Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin have reached an agreement in principle for the production of 43 F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter (JSF) aircraft. The buy includes 19 F-35As for the Air Force, six F-35Bs for the Marines and four F-35Cs for the Navy. Additional aircraft included are 10 F-35As for Israel (2), Japan (4), Norway (2)and Italy (2) as well as four F-35Bs for the UK.

Japan's new Izumo-class helicopter carrier currently undergoing sea trials is expected to be commissioned in 2015. The new carrier will dramatically increase Japan's force projection in the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, raising concern in China

In this edition: Israel as a cyber-security superpower | United States and Australia strengthening cyber cooperation | Russian hacker accused by US for cyber money laundering | Cyber crime second most common form of economic crime in the Middle East | Iraqi Communication Ministry blocked Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube | China once again behind a cyber-espionage operation | Vietnam concerned about cyber security | UK: The Bank of England in war against cyber crime | France officially joining NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence

Recent incursions of civil and military aircraft into neighboring airspace has highlighted the state of alert maintained by different nations, and raised once again the validity of the huge investments countries are spending in acquiring military capabilities, if they do not provide the means to maintain these capabilities at reasonable state of readiness

In this edition: Israeli research on online privacy | U.S. to discuss Cyber Legislation this summer | Russian cyber community wants creation of an Information and Defense Ministry | Jail for Saudi editor who discussed religion online | Expert speaks on Islamic inspired cyber terrorism | Terror cyber-indoctrination in Syria | Japan and the E.U. on the way to their first cyber agreement | British IT workers targeted by foreign intelligence agencies